AHEAD of the Winchester Poetry Festival, one of the country’s most prominent poets visited a Winchester college.

Patience Agbabi encouraged English students at Peter Symonds College to explore word and rhyme in an afternoon workshop, and write a ‘remix’ poem based on Anthem for Doomed Youth by leading First World War poet Wilfred Owen.

Whilst demonstrating how the poem could sound with examples of her own work, Ms Agbabi admitted that like many other modern poets she loves rhythm and the sounds of language in her work, but also tries to follow traditional structures.

The workshop was the first in a series designed to inspire teenagers to get involved in the upcoming festival, from September 12-14, by writing their own poetry to compete in a Poetry Slam.

Head of English Language at the college, Paul Davies, said the poet both entertained and inspired the students.

He said: “Patience will be one of the many national and local poets supporting the first ever Winchester Poetry Festival in September.

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“The festival offers young people the opportunity to engage with living poetry and to appreciate our rich poetic heritage. My hope is that the Poetry Slam and other events will inspire them to find their own poetic voice and possibly become the poet of tomorrow.”

The Winchester Poetry Festival was launched in March by Roger McGough, presenter of BBC Radio Four’s Poetry Please.

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